Cato and Clove: The Untold Story
by megansmith13
Summary: The untold story of Cato and Clove's love.
1. Chapter 1

Part 1:

They're chasing me. The other Careers. Why they've turned on me so suddenly I don't know, but what I do know is that I have to keep running, or else face my death against my old allies. I run to leap over a fallen trunk, but just as I think I've cleared it, my foot snags, and I fall to the floor, too winded to make a sound, or run from my attackers. I make an attempt to crawl to a nearby bush, but it's too late. They're here. I can hear their pounding footsteps closing in on me, and then the faceless tribute pins me to the floor, raises his knife and…

I jolt awake in my bed, sweat pouring off my body, soaking the sheets around me. I frantically grasp the sheets, just to make sure…yes. It was just a bad dream; I was bound to have one on the eve of Reaping Day. I stumble out of bed, and make my way into the kitchen, where my father, little sister Ivy and Willow, my elder brother wait around the table. I am the only one eligible for the Games now, as Ivy is only 7 and Willow is exempt as of last year, when he turned 19. They stare at me in silence. Finally Ivy pushes forward a bowl of porridge, and I gently sit down, trying not to aggravate my father. As I hastily spoon the milky, lumpy breakfast into my mouth, I can feel his disdainful gaze on my back, and I flush, reminded of his dislike for me. I scrape the legs of my chair back, and scoop Ivy up into my arms before stalking up to my room, to get ready for the Reaping.

I'd laid out my best clothes the night before on my dressing table's chair, and I carefully slip into the soft grey cotton dress, the only thing I have left of my mother's, other than the silver locket that remains around my neck permanently. I sweep my long black hair up into a loose bun, and then scrutinise myself in the mirror. I certainly inherited my mother's curvy lips, and slanted nose, but my icy blue, almond shaped eyes are unmistakably from my father's genes. I sigh and turn away from the mirror, then hurry over to Ivy, who has been watching me this whole time with scared, tear filled eyes. 'Clove…I'm scared!' she whimpers.

'What of?'I ask gently. 'Your name won't be in the Reaping bowl for nearly 5 years!'

'I know, but I'm scared for you! What if you get picked?' Her voice is so quiet and trembling, I barely registered what she'd said. But as soon as my brain caught up, I enveloped her into a tight hug, and then take her face in my hands. 'Ivy. My name is only in there 3 times. The odds _are _in my favour. And even if I do get picked, it would be a great honour to go and represent my district in the Games, and seriously…have you seen me fight? I could win easily. So there is no need to worry, little bumblebee, because no matter what, I will come back to you, okay?'

Her small eyes shine a little with hope, and she relaxes. 'Okay…okay then.'

I straighten up, and take her hand as I hear the little clock in my room strike one o'clock. 'C'mon little bee, time to go, you'll stay with Daddy and Willow whilst I get signed in okay? Then after the Reaping I'll come find you, and we'll go down to the park, yeah?' She looks up at me, and nods her head. We walk down the stairs, where my father and brother stand waiting for us. 'We're ready' I mumble. My father nods, and we leave the house together, walking towards the centre of the town, other families scurrying along next to us. We arrive at the sign in station, and I crouch down in front of Ivy. 'I'll be fine, little bumblebee. Remember our park date, okay? See you in a bit.' I tap my cheek, and she smiles a little, then leans forward and lightly kisses me on my freckly skin. My brother comes forward and lifts her up onto his shoulders, and my small family of three walk off the area reserved for the families of the children being reaped.

I get into the nearest queue to be signed in, and wait for my turn. Worry for Ivy fills my head, and I look over my shoulder and watch them retreating to the penned off enclosure. ' She'll be fine' I reassure myself, and then a voice calls 'NEXT!' and I step forward, and let the burly attendant jab a needle into my finger. He takes my bloody finger and presses it onto some kind of scanner, which bleeps. He lets go of my hand, and calls for another child, which I take as my cue to move on. I wander over to the enclosure reserved for 15 year old girls, who look at me in fear. I am after all Clove Lozier after all, everyone is scared of me. I look around my pen disdainfully, taking in the other town girls who are trembling with nerves. I won't sink down to their level. I stand tall, and scan the other enclosures for a familiar face. I finally catch sight of my training partner, Cato, and our eyes meet. He gives a little nod of acknowledgment, and then turns his head back to the giant screens above the stage, where Panem's national anthem begins to play.

Our escort, Nimi Del Anteguay, stares down at us all as she struts onto the stage, excitement written all over her face. She waits at the front of the stage for the Mayor to come on, as well as our districts mentors, then turns to the screen on her left, where the Capitol-made film that is shown every year begins to play. It explains the reasons for the Capitol beginning the Hunger Games, and shows the history of Panem, starting with the beginning of our glorious country, then going over the events that led to today, like the uprising of the districts against the Capitol, the extermination of District 13, and the introduction of the Hunger Games once the Capitol regained power. The film ends, and Nimi turns to us with a beam that nearly splits her face in half. 'Well wasn't that just great!' she exclaims, her gaze never faltering as she examines this year's potential tributes. 'Well, we'd best get started then' she giggles, and totters over to the Reaping bowl. 'Ladies first!' Her enthusiasm is sickening. She dives her hand in, and feels around. Nerves are jumping around in my stomach, and I hope that my names were somewhere near the top of the bowl, as her hand always goes straight to the bottom to select a name. She finally selects a slip of paper, and slowly withdraws her hand from the bowl. She unfolds it, and leans into the microphone to reveal the unfortunate, or honoured in some people eyes, girl chosen to go to the Capitol. She opens her purple mouth, takes a deep breath, and shouts out 'Clove Lozier!'


	2. Chapter 2

I freeze, and all I can see is Ivy's little face crumpling as she realises that her older sister has been selected. Her lips form my name, and then I hear her piercing scream of 'Clove! No, no, no, please, not Clove!' I stand there solidly whilst all heads turn my way, and Nimi calls out 'Clove dear, come on up now, no need to be shy!' I begin my walk to the stage, and try my hardest to ignore the pitying looks I'm getting, and most of all, to hide the slight trembling in my hands. I climb the steps, and Nimi trots on over to me, taking my hand and leading me to the middle. Her smile is more than I can take, and I look away out into the audience, forcing my hand out of her clammy grasp. She turns to the microphone, and cries 'Look at her! Isn't she a sweetie! So small! How old are you dear? Twelve? Thirteen?'

'Fifteen' I mutter, gritting my teeth with annoyance that she assumed my age because of my small stature.

'Oh wow…you certainly don't look it!' she chuckles, and then proceeds to stick her hand back in the bowl for the boy's name. She rummages around for what seems to be forever, and I just stand there, frozen to the spot. She eventually digs her hand out, clutching another slip of paper. She unfolds it, and I see the same just as she calls it out. 'Lucas Feldman?'

I scan the crowd to find the chosen male, and there he is, shock etched across his face. He is just starting his walk to the front when a loud voice shouts 'I volunteer as Tribute!' My head whips over to the source of the shout, and find him. Cato. Obviously he would do this, he has a reputation for being the most bloodthirsty and eager trainee in the whole district, not to mention being deadly. My eyes follow the huge teenager as he proudly makes his way up to the stage, a huge grin across his face. He's one of the many who _want _to be in the Games, to fight everyone to the death and come out alive, to bring pride to their District. He strides towards me and Nimi on the stage, and faces the front, an arrogant smirk on his face. I know that face well, thanks to the many times I have seen him in the training centre, his piercing grey eyes, spiky blonde hair, the curve of his jawline…many would consider him to be handsome, and I've heard tales of his heart-breaking. But when he is training, he's always in fighting mode, never paying any attention to me…not that I would have had feelings for him, or ever can now. He is brutal. I look him up and down, taking in the pure amount of muscle on his body, and the way he towers over me, looking down on my tiny form. In a way I'm glad he has volunteered, as that weedy Lucas kid would be an embarrassment to our district in the arena. We will make a good team; we've practiced together many times in the facilities provided in 2. He eventually notices my staring, and winks at me, catching me off guard. I turn away, and it turns out that all the time I've been examining him, Nimi has been talking, so I quickly tune back in to her speech, right as its ending.

'District 2, these are your tributes! Say goodbye now, as it is time for them to leave you, and head to our glorious Capitol, where their future awaits!'

The crowd explodes, cheering and waving as we make our way to the Justice building, where we will say our goodbyes to our families. I reach my little room, and no sooner have I sat down Ivy bursts into the room, followed by my father and Willow. She reaches for me, and I take her into a long hug. Her tears are staining my dress, and even though I am not afraid for the Games, I feel myself tearing up at the realisation that I will have to leave her.

'Please don't leave me Clove!' She sobs, and I smooth back her hair.

'Shhh, shh now Ivy. Don't cry, don't cry. You believe in me don't you?'

'Of course!' She cries, her tear filled eyes gazing up to mine.

'Then there is now need for all these tears, because you know I can win, don't you! I will come back home to you, you just have to believe, okay?'

She nods, and opens her mouth to say her last words to me. 'Just..just promise me you'll win, okay?' She whispers.

'I promise' I whisper back, and she hugs me tighter. I kiss her on the forehead, and take in her scent, trying to file it away so I can remember it when I'm in the arena. I then let go, and Willow takes her hand, giving me a sorrowful look. He doesn't talk anymore, since Mum died, but he communicates all he needs to in that one look. I nod back at him, and then turn to my father as Willow leads Ivy out. She gives me one last wave, and a smile back at her. My father just looks at me, and finally grunts 'Come home a winner, or not at all.' He walks out on me, and I crumple back onto the sofa. I'm on the brink of tears, but no one can know this, so I take a deep breath to compose myself, and put on a big grin for the spectators outside.

A peacekeeper comes to collect me, and I walk with him to the front of the building, where Cato, Nimi, Enobaria and Brutus are waiting. We all walk over to the waiting train which will take us to the Capitol. I smile back and wave at everyone, the crowd's enthusiasm fuelling me, and then Nimi tries to grab my hand, which snaps me back to reality and a snatch it away. 'Relax sweetie, I just wanted to lead you to the train!' She exclaims, before stalking of into the carriage. Cato's smirk grows wider, and anger fills me, making me see red. I run towards him, whilst whipping out one of my knives from a holster on my thigh, and pin him against the train, holding it against his throat. 'Are you laughing at me?' I snarl, my eyes narrowing and getting darker, as the always do when I'm angry. His eyes widen for a moment, and then he relaxes. Before I know it we have switched places, with me backed up against the train and my knife arm trapped behind me, rendering me helpless. He leans in close, his dangerous eyes full of mirth, and whispers 'So what if I am, princess?' The princess does it for me. His face is uncomfortably close to mine, and I can feel his eyes on my lips. So I do the only thing I can: I head-butt him with all my strength. He stumbles back, dazed, and then I'm on top of him, my knife back at his throat. He squirms slightly, trying out various methods of escape, but I'm ahead of him. His eyes meet mine, and I down to his ear. 'Don't _EVER_ call me princess again. Got it?' I spit, and he gently nods his head. I rise, and slide my knife back next to the others on my thigh, then turn away, thinking I'd won. But then Cato comes up behind me, and wrenches me into a headlock. I try to wriggle out of it, but he's far too strong. He could snap my slim neck in one tiny movement, but instead he leans in close, and murmurs 'Not bad, princess, but I can call you whatever I want, and there is _nothing _you can do about it. Got it?' His voice turns into a falsetto at the end, obviously mocking me. He lets go, and I stalk over to the train, and he runs to catch up with me. 'Hey, wait up. You're better than I first thought, princess. Maybe we will make a good team.' He drapes his arm over my shoulder, and I flush, before wriggling away and stepping through to the first compartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Enobaria and Brutus, our mentors, are waiting for us in the carriage. Cato and I stand there whilst they examine us. I can sense that they are excited about Cato, but are unsure of my ability, which frustrates me but I wait until they're finished. They just stare. Finally, Brutus grunts 'Well? Show us what you can do then' motioning to the rack of weapons next to us. I have no need for those, and instead swivel, searching for a target. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cato reaching for a sword off the rack, and smile. That is his signature weapon after all. I select a particularly awful canvas painting of a smiling lady, and whip out two knives from my thigh holder, then one from a hiding place in my hair. I throw the first, and it sinks right into the painted lady's forehead. I don't wait for their reaction, and instead turn and toss another over my shoulder, which lands exactly in the pupil of her left eye, then roll forwards and lob my last one, which hits the best target: her heart. I stand, and turn to them, taking in their open mouths. Even Cato is shocked. He obviously hasn't seen me at training; else he would know of my skills. Enobaria and Brutus look equally shocked, and I allow myself a small smile. I lie back on the red velvet sofa, and stare at Cato. He takes this as his cue to begin showing his talent. As I watch him slice and hack with his sword, I realise that he is even more impressive up close. His huge muscles ripple as he smoothly decapitates a piece of topiary, and his face is a mask of concentration for his task. He really is very handsome, I notice. I tear my eyes away as he finishes his demonstration, and then turn to our mentors for their feedback.

'Well!' Enobaria starts. 'Cato, you are everything we imagined you would be, but Clove…we certainly underestimated you. You are extremely good with knives…I can already see you achieving great training scores. Now, off to bed with you, it's going to be a long day tomorrow.'

Brutus just nods along with her, and then they both turn and exit the compartment, leaving me alone with Cato. He's been staring at me a while now. I go to one of the plush armchairs, and look back at him, awaiting his imminent statement.

'Wow' He says. 'Just…wow. I never knew you could do that, princess! Mind you, I guess I've never really noticed you in training before, but still…I'm surprised I haven't seen you, that was not bad at all!'

I blush slightly, and thank him.

'You weren't so bad yourself' I mumble.

'Sorry princess? What was that?' He looks down at me, amused, and stalks over so he's right in front of me, then crouches down in front of me and lifts my chin with his finger. His eyes bore right into mine, full of mirth, trying to get me to repeat my compliment.

'You heard' I snap, flinching away from his touch. His smirk disappears, and turns into a slightly curious look. He's obviously not used to girls backing away from him. Well I'm different to his fans back home; I'm not falling for that charm. He echoes my thoughts out loud.

'You're not like the others…' He mutters.

I nod triumphantly, and then get up to leave the compartment, heading for my room. He strides after me, trying to catch up. I wait at my door for him, and he slows, turning to face the doorframe, which I'm leaning on casually. I look up at him.

'What?' I ask, irritated by his presence.

'Goodnight, Clove' He replies softly, and gently chucks my chin, before walking over to his room and shutting the door.

I spin back toward my bed, and slam the door, infuriated by his apparently condescending manner around me. I strip off, and stomp over to what I think is my shower, and slip in, pressing a button labelled 'Vanilla'. The warm scent floats around me, and I retreat to my thoughts. How dare he treat me like a child, when he is only 2 years my elder himself! Just because of my elfin height and demeanour, doesn't mean he can look at me like I'm 12 again! I'm even more deadly than I was back then, and I could probably take him down now, despite his obvious advantages. Our alliance will do me well in the arena, but when the time comes I'm pretty sure I have it in me to beat him. I get out of the shower, and step onto a small black square, which sends a wave of energy through me, drying me completely, detangling and straightening my hair so it falls in a silky wave over my shoulders. My bed is super comfortable, and I can already feel myself drifting off, but as I fall to sleep the only thought in my head is not whether I can kill Cato, it's whether I want to…

In the morning I jolt awake to the sound of Nimi bashing on my door.

'Up you get, c'mon Clove, up now, up now!' She squeaks. Her voice is so unnaturally annoying; it's hard to listen to without blocking my ears. I shut her up by taking one of my knives and chucking it at the door, where it lodges, apparently right next to her ear. I hear her give a little scream, and then she stutters 'W-well, we'll be in t-the dining room for b-breakfast, okay?' She then scurries off, and I sigh, amused. I get up in my own time, selecting some black shorts and a grey vest from the closet of clothes provided. I slip on some plimsolls, then open my door and make my way to the dining room. An array of amazing delicacies have been laid out for us to help ourselves to, and I pile my plate high, with fruit, fresh bread, a croissant, egg, bacon, and whatever else I can get my hands on. I go to the huge table where Brutus, Enobaria and my fellow tribute are sat, and plonk myself down next to Cato, whose plate is equally as full, and he catches my eye, and winks. I turn back to my food, embarrassed, and we both dig in. A frosted glass of orange juice is placed in front of me, and I gulp it down, before stuffing my face even more with the delicious meal. I finish with a cup of coffee, which I drink all the time at home, and it fills me with adrenaline, ready for the day ahead. I see Nimi reclining on the sofa, and she looks up at me, and barks 'We will be arriving in 10 minutes. Be ready to leave.' I get up, nod at Cato, Brutus and Enobaria, then walk back to my room, where I gather up my clothes and stuff them into one of the many drawers. I take one last look at my mother's dress, then put it away, not really caring to see it again. All it brings back is painful memories of the times my mother was alive and with me. I realise the train is slowing, and I run over to my window. A huge wave of colour hits my eyes, and I stare at the brightly attired Capitol citizens. They really are as extravagant as they have been described. I go back to the main compartment, where Nimi, Cato, Brutus and Enobaria are waiting, and we stand in silence as the train comes to a halt. We all step off onto the platform, and are loaded into a black car with tinted windows, whilst the crowds scream and shout as they try to get a good look at us. I manage to get in a quick wave before the door is slammed, and I can hear them all cheering. But then we are off, and I lean against my window admiring the beauty of the Capitol. Then I realise that we are on our way to the Remake Centre, and I begin to worry about what they will do to me…


	4. Chapter 4

Our car rolls to a halt, and Nimi marches me and Cato into the Remake Centre, our mentors trailing behind us. Peacekeepers arrive to take us to our separate areas, but just before I leave Enobaria pulls me aside.

'Okay Clove, listen to me' she hisses. 'Whatever your prep team and stylist want to do to you _let them_. It's their job to make you into what they believe the Capitol citizens will like, and therefore sponsor you. They may do weird things that seem odd to you, but trust me, they know what they're doing. It'll be worth it once you get into the arena.'

I nod, taking this all in, whilst noticing that Cato and Brutus seem to be having the exact same conversation on the other side of the room. I'm getting even more nervous now, as Enobaria's words have installed another load of fear that my prep team might do something awful, like try and surgically alter my face or something. But before I know it, Enobaria has left and I'm being taken into a large room, with a flat metal table at its centre, surrounded by various different trolleys full of various styling products and makeup, as well as scary looking contraptions. The peacekeepers march me over to the table, where I am greeted by the oddest looking gang of humans I have ever seen. A tiny lady with turquoise skin is at the head of the group, and she is flanked by a tall dark skinned man, who has silver tattoos curling over his cheekbones, and is dressed in a very odd orange pinstripe suit, then finally peeking out from behind a curtain of long purple hair is the third member of my prep team, a shy looking lady with shockingly green eyes. The first woman motions for me strip off, and to lie down on the table, so I cautiously sit down, and lower myself into a comfortable position. They all stand over me, and introduce themselves.

'Hello…Clove, is it? My name is Leven.' smiles the one with turquoise skin. I glare back at her, and she smirks. 'Not very friendly I see. Well this is Melissa' She motions to the purple haired lady, then points to the black man. 'And this is Englesbee.' I study each of them in turn, as they begin my transformation. They begin my rubbing some form of wax over my body, then applying strips of fabric. I wonder what on earth they are doing, but I realise as Leven rips off the first strip. They are ridding me of hair. It kills when they force the little strips off, but I don't make a sound, I just sit and wait for them to finish. When they are done, I am lathered up with various scented liquids and lotions, which sting my tender skin. Finally, once they are satisfied that I am hair free and am fragrant enough to knock someone out, they begin styling me. Melissa runs her fingers through my hair, and sighs contentedly. She then begins to braid my hair in many different styles, and pins them all up into a sort of helmet shape over my head. I can only guess that I'll be wearing some sort of headgear for the parade, as I would have thought that they'd of left my long hair down if it was otherwise. Englesbee begins to paint my face on, and I flinch at his first touch. He retreats, startled, and then starts again, but I dodge again, causing him to 'accidentally' thwack me in the eye. I want to hit him, but all I can do is sit and wait for this ordeal to be over and done with and it's harder than I thought to keep completely still for them. I close my eyes so Englesbee can work on my eye makeup, and relax, trying to make time pass as quickly as possible. Eventually they all stand back, and I lift my hands to examine what Leven has been working on all this time. My nails are molten bronze. Not just a coat of paint, she has created what seems to be a flowing river of melted metal, moving at the slightest twitch of my hand. I give a slight smile, but hide it away before they can see my reaction. They are far inferior to me, and therefore I don't particularly want to bond with them. I stand, and they lean away to admire their work. I let them stare, but then Leven gives me a robe to put on, and pushes me towards a door at the far end of the room.

'Your stylist is waiting there for you.' She tells me.

I nod, and stride over to the door. I open it to find a beautiful man waiting for me. I don't often get all swoony over boys, but I have to admit, he is something. He has an amazing structured face, framed by wavy blonde hair and his dark, stormy eyes welcome me into the small room. A meal is waiting for me on the glass table, and I practically inhale it. My stylist smiles, and opens his mouth.

'My name is Phoenix, and I'm going to be your stylist.' He informs me.

I nod, and he continues.

'Myself and Harmony, Cato's stylist, have decided on a god-like theme for your parade this year. As you are after all, from one of the more powerful districts, we've decided to model your looks on ancient Godlike beings that created stone and metal, fitting in with your districts masonry business. Here.' He motions to the bronze costume draped over the armchair next to me. 'Get into it' he requests.

I oblige, and slip into the heavy, bronze coloured outfit. It has a sort of scaled effect running from my waist up to my neck, and there is a long draping white skirt, which I guess is supposed to be reminiscent of the old Goddesses. I slip into the coppery pumps, then Phoenix brings forward a kind of helmet, made of the same metal as the upper of my dress. It looks like an upturned bowl, but has large wings, about the size of my forearm, pointing upwards on either side. He places it on my head, and then uncovers a mirror. I gasp in astonishment. The girl in the mirror looks very different to my normal self. My eyes are rimmed with dark liner, which doesn't make me look tired, just accentuates my eyes, and makes me look dangerous. My plump lips have been shaded in a neutral nude-pink colour, which makes my eyes stand out even more. I notice a small bruise forming where Englesbee poked me, but the heavy makeup practically makes it invisible. I look…beautiful, but deadly. I feel pretty for the first time in my life, and in my excitement, I twirl for Phoenix, and he nods appreciatively, looking me up and down. I suddenly feel uncomfortable under his hungry gaze. A quiet alarm pierces the silence in the room, and I know it is time to go and prepare for the parade. He put his hand on my back, and guides me through some doors to a flight of stairs, where Cato, his stylist, Nimi, Brutus and Enobaria wait at the bottom. I glide down, satisfied with the look on Cato's face. He looks gobsmacked, and I hold back a giggle at his expression. His eyes darken, however, when he notices my bruise. As I get to him, he reaches for me and pulls me into a hug, to my surprise. I hear him whisper in my ear 'Who did that to you?' and I hiss back 'I'll explain later, okay?' He seems mollified by my answer, and I wonder why he is so concerned. He's suddenly become quite over protective, and that scares me a little. Could he…? No. No way would Cato ever have feeling for a girl like me. We begin our walk down to the place where we will start our parade, and I start to look at Cato. He is dressed in a similar outfit to mine, but his finishes with a bronze pleated tunic, and he holds a blunt metal spear too. We arrive, and mount our chariot. It too is bronze in colour, and is led my two snow white horses. We turn to our mentors for any last minute advice, and Brutus speaks.

'Try not to look too try hard or soppy; look determined and strong, but entertain the crowd too. Make them love you, and you'll have guaranteed sponsors when you get to the arena. '

Enobaria nods her agreement, and we turn back to face the opening, where we will begin the parade. Cato reaches for my hand, and I snatch it away, shocked.

'Hey, relax princess! I just wanted to give you a good luck squeeze, but okay, okay…' He protests, and I regret it immediately. He reaches for my hand again, and squeezes it tight. 'God he's strong' I think to myself. 'I thought he was going to break my hand!' Suddenly, we're moving, and the bright lights of the Capitol shine bright on my face. I wait for Cato to let go of my hand, but he holds on tight as we glide out onto the track.


	5. Chapter 5

***Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad people are enjoying my attempt at writing so far. I'm really enjoying it, and love hearing from you. If you've got any comments or suggestions, please do review, I really want to improve it to you guys' standards. Next chapter should be up soon J Thank you!***

The roar of the crowd fills my ears before my eyes have adjusted to the blinding light, and I blink, trying to get a good look at my surroundings. Oh my…we are trundling along a wide track lined with sand, and either side thousands of people, looking down at us and screaming our names. I smile in amazement, and look in ahead of me. Past the District 1 tributes, who are dresses in some fancy, pink, feathered get up, there is a big ring about 50 metres down the track. I guess that is where we'll wait for President Snow to make his speech, and then make our journey back from. Cato's hand is still gripping mine, and we wave and smile to the spectators, trying to win ourselves sponsors. I even slip in a cheeky wink or two, and know it has got a good reaction by the increased screams coming from that direction. We are nearly at the end of the track, entering the ring, when nearly every head turns to the very entrance of the track. I search for one of the huge screens that are mounted everywhere, and I gasp. It's the tributes from 12. They are, quite literally, on fire. The crowd goes wild, screaming their names. 'Katniss! Peeta!' is all I can hear from around me and my shock soon turns to cold anger. 'How dare they steal our spotlight?' I growl inwardly 'We're District 2, for god's sake, we're the best here! They're just lousy Twelves, their business is bloody mining! How are they getting all the attention, just because of some idiotic fire stunt? If only they were real flames….' My eyes fixate on the girl, Katniss, and I sneer. She will be my first target once we get into the arena, I decide. Her innocent face looks shocked and delighted with the crowd's reaction, and I turn away, disgusted. I look up at Cato, and see he has the same stony expression as me, his eyes almost black with fury. I tighten my hand around his, pushing aside my rage, reminding him that we are persuading sponsors here. He looks down at our hands, then his gaze travels up my body to my eyes, and I shiver at his examination. I give him a little smile, and I can see him relaxing, going back to his normal, calm state. He begins smiling and waving, giving my hand a grateful squeeze. We resume our routine of crowd pleasing, and our chariot draws to a halt.

We stare up at the podium where President Snow will appear, as the other Tribute's chariots draw into the stadium. Silence falls as the man himself arrives, making his way to the microphone where he shall make his welcoming speech.

'Welcome!' he booms, surveying the array of children beneath him. 'Tributes, we welcome you!'

The crowd erupts at his opening statement, and all I can hear are the screams and shouts of the eager population gathered.

Snow makes a shushing motion with his hands, and continues speaking. 'Happy Hunger Games' he cries. Then he utters the catchphrase of the entire Games. 'And may the odds, be ever in your favour!' He nods, looking down upon us all. The audience explodes again, and the thunderous applause nearly deafens me. The chariots begin to roll out of the ring and back along the stretch back to our starting point. Cato and I stand strong, waiting our turn, and my eyes follow the District 12 girl as she smiles and waves at the Capitol throng, reaching out to catch the flowers being thrown in her direction. I feel sick just watching, and turn back to Cato, putting on a smile. He catches my eye, noting my forced smile, and winks again, mouthing 'Ignore them, you know they're dead meat' He grins, then his eyes go back to the stands, where the population of the Capitol holler for our attention. I wave and blow kisses as our chariot draws back into the sheltered starting point, then I abruptly stop, bored of entertaining, ending the charade as I exit their view. Cato steps of our chariot, and offers his hand to help me get down. I take it gratefully, and hop onto the sandy floor. I hear the whoops of District 12's team, and know they must be ecstatic at the reception their statement got. I gather my skirt up, and follow Nimi over to a frosted glass elevator. She taps a button labelled '2' with her elaborately painted nail, and the lift swoops down, the doors opening to reveal a little room with mirrored walls. We all step inside, and it immediately begins rising upwards, until we reach our destination. The doors slide open again, to reveal a lavish apartment. Marble pillars are dotted everywhere, supporting the huge ceiling. Enobaria leads me to my room, and Cato trails us with Brutus. I slowly turn the glass knob on the door, and step inside my room. I gasp in amazement. A massive, king-sized bed is the centrepiece of the room, and an enormous flat screen TV is mounted on the wall nearest the foot of it. I spy some double doors at the far end of the room, and Enobaria follows my gaze.

'That's the closet' She chuckles, then leaves me to re-orientate myself with my new accommodation. I walk over to the door which I think leads to my bathroom, and sigh in relief at my correct guess. I strip, and enter the shower, this time pressing a button that says 'Apple'. The fruity foam swirls around me, and I run my hands through my soaking hair, massaging my scalp. The gushing water rinses away my makeup, and I step out of the shower, immediately dried by the magic airflow that appears, then catch sight of myself in the mirror. I'm back to my ordinary self now, tiny, pale, ordinary Clove. I sweep my now-dry hair up into a bun, then get changed into some grey leggings and a black tank top. I wander out of my room, and stumble across the dining room, where everyone is already seated. I blush, realising I'm late. The shower must have taken longer than I thought. I rush over and take a seat next to Cato, and inhale the delicious scent of the meal in front of me. I try to take a knife and fork so I can begin, but stare in dismay at the array of cutlery on each side of my plate. I waver, my hands hovering over each utensil, until Cato finally leans over and whispers 'You start from the outside, then work your way inwards, princess' I smile gratefully, but then frown, irritated that he keeps using that name for me. His grin gets wider, and he stares into my eyes, trying to provoke me further. I break eye contact, and turn to my meal, digging in with the outermost cutlery as Cato had instructed. It's delicious, and the rest of the meal seems to fly by, and I only seem to get a couple of mouthfuls of one dish before the next is served in front of me. We finally finish, and I sip from the mug of steaming hot chocolate in my hands. Enobaria and Brutus make polite conversation, offering handy tips on what to do in the arena, and I take it all in, storing it away for future reference. Eventually Nimi stands, and announces it is time for bed, as we have got to be up 'bright and early' for our first training session tomorrow. I roll my eyes at her chirpy tone, and get up to leave. Cato rises at the same time, and we walk together to our rooms. We stand outside my door, and I look up at him.

'Goodni-' I start, but he interrupts by taking my face in his hands and gently kissing me on the lips. I try to push him away, but he presses me up against the door. His lips move insistently against mine, and I melt. Just as I begin to kiss him back, he breaks away. He looks at me hesitantly, then smiles at the bewildered expression on my face. He leans in close, and kisses my cheek, then whispers in my ear, making me shiver.

'Night, princess' he murmurs, then kisses me once more on my neck. I squirm, then he turns and walks away back into his room, not giving me one look back. He fumble for the handle of my door, then fall into bed, all the while thinking one thought.

'What the hell was that?'


	6. Chapter 6

I sprawl on my bed, going over what just happened in my head. Cato…Cato kissed me? Kissed me? No…I must have been imagining it…that can't have just happened! I shake my head, trying to sort the jumbled thoughts crowding my brain. So if he did kiss me…what does it mean? Does he like me? What's the point? There can only be one victor, and I know he's planning on it being him…I stumble over to the shower, needing the relief of the hot water to calm me down. As the warmth rushes over my skin, I relax, momentarily forgetting the enormous problem that has suddenly arisen. I get out, and dry off, making my way to my bed. Cato was probably just tipsy…that'd be why. We had been served wine at dinner after all, and his empty glass had stood out among the half full ones belonging to our companions. I drift off to sleep, comforted by this thought, the obviousness of it all. He didn't _really _like me; it was just a drunken gesture, a mistake. He'll probably have forgotten about it by the morning anyway.

Enobaria's insistent tapping at my door wakes me, and I slowly untangle myself from the luxurious sheets, and dress myself in the simple clothes laid out for me. It's the first of the training days today, and all us Tributes will be wearing the same outfits, but with our district number clearly marked on the sleeve of the shirt, and on the back. I look at myself in the mirror. The uniform is a slim fitting black and burgundy top, with long, black, fitted trousers, which are made of some stretchy material, so they don't rip during physical exercises. There is a pair of simple dark grey trainers on top of the chest of drawers, and I pull them on, marvelling at their exact fit and comfort. I hurry to the dining room, where I wolf down a large breakfast. Then Cato walks in. I freeze, my eyes locked on his. I am shocked to see him _blush_, and I turn back to my meal, amused. He sits down opposite me, and I look up again, catching his eye. He looks me seriously, and my eyes narrow in confusion. He evidently remembers the events of last night…and apparently is not ashamed. I lay down my cutlery, and scrape back my chair, hastily making my exit back to my room.

'Oh god, oh god' is the first thing that enters my train of thought, as soon as I shut the door. 'He remembers! And isn't looking at me like he wants to remove me from the face of the earth…is that a good thing?' I wonder to myself, desperately trying to figure out what is going through his head. There's a knock on the door, and my head snaps towards it. 'Who is it?' I shout, tentatively. There's a pause, then a deep voice replies.

'It's me!' The voice huskily declares. It's Cato. Oh crap. I stand, and cautiously open the door, peering up to look him in the face.

'Um…hi?' He says bashfully, missing the usual arrogance he addresses me with.

'Hey' I reply, looking anywhere but his eyes.

'Can I come in?' He asks hopefully, his eyes finally meeting mine. I nod, and he steps in, sitting on my bed whilst I shut the door behind him. I perch on top of my chest of drawers, and we wait there in silence, till' he finally speaks.

'So…about last night…' He starts, sending a cheeky glance my way.

'Yeah, what the hell was that about? Are you playing mind games with me or something? Trying to mess with my head so I'll be an easy kill once we get into the arena?' I snap, letting out all my fears of what our kiss had meant to him. His eyes widen at my outburst, and he opens his mouth to explain his motives, but I cut him off.

'Or is it some kind of tactic, a show romance for the spectators? Something to get us sponsors? Because I don't know if I want to play along with something that doesn't mean anything to you, or ever will! Besides, us Careers aren't exactly known for our emotional sides, are we?' I angrily finish, and wait for his reaction. Cato sits there, taking in my words.

'None of that is what I was thinking when I kissed you, Clove' he softly replies. 'All I was thinking was how much I _wanted _to kiss you. Not what the aftermath would be, or what you would think of it. It was a spur of the moment thing, and I just want you to know that you don't have to feel the same way, or even act like you want to be around me anymore, it's just…I like you okay? And I've never had feelings for anyone before, so this is kind of hard for me to deal with too!' His voice gets stronger towards the end of his speech, and I hover, not sure what to do or how to react. He sits there, staring at me, his eyes pleading for some kind of positive response from me. I look back at him, our eyes meeting, and I can feel the sparks. There is something between us, and I don't know what to do about it. In a matter of days, we will be thrown into the arena, and who knows what will happen there? Will he still feel the same way, once he faces the fact that only one of us can come out? Will he be the one to kill me? Or I, him? But his eyes keep on boring into me, and all my thoughts are erased as I gaze back at him. Right here, right now, all I want to do is kiss him, regardless of the repercussions or consequences doing so might have on the both of us. But I do it anyway. I hop off the chest of drawers, and he rises to his feet as I run towards him. He catches me in his arms, lifting me, and I wrap my legs around his middle to keep myself from falling as our lips meet again. We kiss uninterrupted for the next 10 minutes, but then there is a knock on the door, and Nimi calls for us to come out, as we are about to depart to the training centre. Cato gently sets me on the floor, and I open the door to Nimi. She raises her eyebrows when she spots Cato behind me, but I brush off her suspicion, claiming that we were working out potential strategies for our time in the arena. She shrugs, and leads us to the elevator, and as we whoosh down, Cato catches my eye, and winks again. That's starting to become a kind of trademark for him. We exit the elevator, and Nimi takes us through various hallways and doors, till we finally reach the training centre. I scan the nervous tributes for our fellow Careers, and spy the two from District 1. A statuesque blonde goddess and an equally tall male stand together, and the guy waves and beckons us over. Me and Cato stride over to them, and they introduce themselves.

'Hi, the names Marvel' says the boy. I recall that he is 17, and he towers over me, much like everyone else I know. 'And this is Glimmer' He motions to the blonde, and I scoff internally at their ridiculous names. What kind of parent names their child Glimmer? Or Marvel for that matter. Glimmer smiles flirtatiously at Cato, and I feel my insides twist a little with jealousy.

'Pleased to meet you!' She simpers, shaking his hand enthusiastically. She easily overshadows me, and could probably get a guy like Cato by just batting her eyelashes. She turns and smiles at me, and greets me with the same bubbling enthusiasm, and I force a smile back at her. Then her gaze shifts over my shoulder, and her smile turns to a smirk. I turn to see what she's looking at, then realise. The tributes from 12 have arrived. The whole room stares, and I can see Katniss squirming under the attention. Her and the male walk over to the rest of the outlying District's tributes, and stand there uncomfortably. Suddenly everyone goes silent, and I see that Alaya, the head of training, has arrived. She makes a quick speech, then we begin training. We immediately head over to the weapons station, and I pick my knives, then begin throwing. I can feel the eyes of the other tributes on me, and can tell that they are quaking in fear. 'This is going to be fun' I think to myself…


	7. Chapter 7

***Thank you for the feedback, it really helped. I'm sorry for the confusion about the point of view it was from, but it is definitely from Clove's point of view, not Katniss'. I do see the similarities I've created between the two characters, like their attachment to their little sisters, but I was doing that to try and show a softer side to Clove, and didn't think it would work as well with a little brother. Again, more feedback is always appreciated, hope you enjoy this chapter!***  
I smile in satisfaction as the sound of my knife thudding dead centre into the target reaches my ears. I can feel the gazes of the other tributes on me, and I decide to give them a little show, just to remind them of their imminent death, most likely by my hands. I smirk at the thought. Wave over a trainer, and instruct him to program the dummies to their hardest setting. His eyes widen at my request.  
'The hardest? Are you sure? It's incredibly hard, Miss, no tribute has ever completed it uninjured before…' He mumbles, and I sneer pityingly at him.  
'I'm no ordinary tribute' I snap. 'Now do it!'  
He scurries over to the small computer set on the wall, and types in the appropriate codes to set it up. I can hear the whirring of the machinery starting up, and loosen up, readying myself for the onslaught of attack. The first dummy rises, and rushes towards me on its wheels, but before it even gets within two metres of me, my knife is protruding from its chest, and it falls, just lying there, apparently dead. Two others come speeding out of nowhere, two more of my 14 knives sink into them, one hitting the first dummies forehead, the other blade landing square in the second drone's stomach. More come, fast and deadly, but I'm too quick for them, whirling, ducking, dodging, rolling, until finally the last one hits the floor next to my feet, and I step back, panting slightly. I acknowledge the utter silence around me, and realise that my little show must have captured everyone's attention. I swivel on the spot, and survey the shocked, terrified sea of faces. Only Cato's is smiling, and I give a little smile of satisfaction. Now they all know that they have no chance of winning, not against me and Cato, with our deadliness. Any talents they might have, any tiny skill they may have acquired in their pitiful districts, won't be enough to beat us. Even Glimmer and Marvel look slightly worried, perhaps realising that their alliance with us could lead to their own downfall. I shrug, and walk back over to Cato, who is grinning, brimming with congratulation on my excellent performance.  
'That. Was. Great!' He whispers. 'You should have seen the looks on everyone's faces, they were practically shaking!'  
'I did see' I smile back. 'And they'd be crazy not to, even you're a little scared, I can tell!' He chuckles, and pretends to cower in fear from my tiny form, then straightens back up.  
'In your dreams princess, but you know I could beat you, any day' He snickers, his competitive streak lighting up his eyes.  
'Feel free to believe that, but you would know, I'm deadlier than I look' I smoothly suggest, and he smirks, remembering our little fight, before we got on the train back in District 2.  
'Whatever' He scoffs, and turns back to his weights, leaving me to find something new to have a go at. I decide to look at the survival stations, and pick one to do with identifying food sources. As I tap away at the options on the screen, I can feel someone's gaze boring into the back of my head, and I whip my head round, trying to see who. Then my eyes meet my surveyor's. The girl from 12. Katniss. We stare at each other for a moment, sizing the other up. She's not very much bigger than I am, and definitely not as trained as me. There is something about her though…Something I can't place my finger on. I think she's hiding something, maybe some sort of skill, but I can't imagine what she'd be good at, coming from District 12. I hear that they can't start work in the mines till they turn 18, so it can't be anything to do with some kind of mining tool that could be used as a weapon, or knowledge of explosives…I guess I'll find out in the arena. Or maybe not, she might be dead before I can. Hopefully by my hands. She turns back to her fire-making workshop, breaking our eye contact, and I wonder what she was thinking about me. Who cares anyway, she's not even worth thinking about, with her stupid sob-story about volunteering for her sister, and that irritating braid that I just want to pull. I go on tapping the various symbols for different plants and edibles, when I hear a shout. Oh god…its Cato. He's yelling at the boy from 5, and I strain to hear what he is hollering about.  
'Where's my knife?!' He snarls in the boy's face. 'Where is it? I know you took it, I know it was you!'  
He pushes him to the floor, and I can see that he is ready to smash the small boy's face in. But then the peacekeepers step in, and pull him back.  
'You'll be my first kill!' He spits, as he is pulled away from the boy. 'Once we're in the arena, you're dead, you hear that? DEAD!'  
The boy scrambles up, and backs as far away as he can, to the furthest side of the centre, away from Cato. The peacekeepers deposit Cato next to me, and I crouch next to his sulking form.  
'Caaaato. Caaato. Chill. He's nothing, yeah, nothing. Don't even bother stressing about him, he knows he's dead, he knew it from the minute he took your knife. C'mon, let go, trainings practically over for today, we'll just go talk to Glimmer and Marvel for the last minutes, okay?'  
He grumbles something incoherent, but then rises, and accompanies me over to our District 1 allies.  
'Cato! Are you okay? That stupid kid, what the hell was he thinking, stealing your knife? You're so big and strong, I'm sure you could have ended him if you'd not been restrained!' Glimmer purrs effusively, reaching out and gently stroking his huge arm. He shakes her off, and the disappointment in her face is hilarious. Marvel smirks too, and I realise he might not be as bad as his annoying district counterpart.  
'I know, what a jerk. He won't get away with it though, he'll be my first target as soon as I step off my podium' Cato growls, and Marvel nods, evidently approving of Cato's plan. A short bell goes off, and we realise that it means training has finished for the day. I nod goodbye to Glimmer and Marvel, then Cato and I walk to our elevator, and press the shining silver button. The glass lift zooms down to pick us up, and we step inside. As soon as the door close, Cato visibly relaxes. I touch his arm with my hand, and he turns his head to look at me.  
'Well that was fun' He comments dryly.  
I giggle, and reach for his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. But I let go when the doors open again, in case Nimi or Enobaria were to see. We head to the dining room, where our mentors and Nimi are waiting. The food is delicious as usual, and there's idle talk of how our first day of training went, but then the meal is over, and we all leave for our rooms. I'm just about to open my door, when Cato taps me on the shoulder. I turn to face him, and look up into his blue eyes.  
'Goodnight, princess.' He whispers, and then lightly kisses my lips.  
'Night to you too' I hiss back, then twirl, and prance into my room. After a short shower, I climb into my waiting bed, the silky pyjamas nestling against my soft skin, the heavenly warmth of the duvet heating me right to my bones. I relax, and slowly begin to drift off, looking forward to training tomorrow…


	8. Chapter 8

The next day of training passes in no time at all, and me and Cato stick together through nearly all of it, training together at most stations, like archery, spears, sword fighting, and my favourite, knife throwing. Glimmer and Marvel join us too, but their mentors forced them to spend some time at the survival stations, which Cato and I had already decided were useless. What's the point? I doubt the games will last long enough to cause us to die of starvation, and finding water will be easy. Worst case scenario, if it turns out we will need those skills, Glimmer and Marvel will be helpful. That's what an alliance is for, I guess. But during the day, I keep a careful eye on that Katniss girl. I still can't get over the feeling that she's hiding something, and I watch her sometimes, trying to see if she shows her skill at one of the training stations, but apparently not. Maybe her mentor told her to save it for the Gamemakers, which I suppose was a good plan, as we now don't know what to expect from her when we get into the arena. Oh well, whatever it is, she won't be that difficult to defeat, not compared to our years of training. Eventually Atala, the training supervisor, announces that our training time is over, and that our chance to show the Gamemakers what we can do will be tomorrow, starting with the female from District 1, then the male, then District 2's tributes, all the way to the last district's offerings from 12. I smirk. If 12 is last, the Gamemakers will most likely be bored by then, and not even pay attention to Katniss, and just give her a low score, which equals no sponsors for her. Ha! That'll teach her for stealing the attention at the Tribute parade. Me and Cato enter the elevator, and he turns to me, excited.  
'Looking forward to tomorrow? He asks, and he obviously is, judging by the expression on his face.  
'Obviously, I can't wait to see the Gamemakers reactions to my throwing…they'll probably expect me to be all weak and helpless, giving my size, but then wham! They'll be surprised!' I giggle, beginning to anticipate the moment more and more.  
'That's the spirit!' Cato grins 'And obviously there's a high score waiting for me…' He waits for my agreement, and I nod enthusiastically, appeasing him. The doors open, and we head straight for the dining room, hungry after the days training. The meal flies down my throat, and in no time at all I'm staring at an empty plate. Enobaria, Brutus and Nimi look in distaste at my non-existent manners. I shrug off their glares, and stand, scraping my chair back just to annoy them more, before heading to my room, holding in a chuckle. Once I get inside, I go to my bathroom, and dial in the necessary settings, and am at once bathed in strawberry scented foam, which is then sloshed away by steaming streams of hot water, which is a strange green colour. After being dried off, I change into some soft pyjama trousers, and slip on a silky cami top, then pause breathing in the delicious scent of the lotion that was slathered all over me by some machine back in the bathroom. Suddenly, a pair of arms slide around my waist, and I jump, giving out a small shriek of surprise. Lips find my neck, and I melt into the intruder's arms for a moment, before snapping back to my senses.  
'Cato!' I whisper-shout, twisting in his arms to find his face. He stares down at me, a cheeky grin on his face as he leans down to kiss me. Our lips touch, and I relax in his arms, letting him take control. But then I come to a realisation, and pull away.  
'Cato…how long have you been in here?' I ask nervously, praying that he wasn't…  
'Um…' The guilty look on his face says it all.  
'You were in here whilst I was getting changed?!' I hiss, backing away completely, completely freaked out at this invasion of my privacy.  
His face is a mask of guilt mixed with horror at my reaction.  
'Yes, but I didn't look, I promise! Seriously Clove, once I realised what you were doing, I turned away…I didn't even peek, I swear! I wouldn't invade your space like that!' He protests, reaching for me. I take in his words, considering whether there is truth behind his statement. I look at him again, and his face is full of remorse, obviously regretting his decision to try and surprise me. But he really does look sorry, and I take a step towards him, closing the distance I'd but between us. He looks so upset by my anger at his actions, that I decide to believe him, and pull him in for a hug.  
'Okay' I whisper. 'I believe you'  
He relaxes, hugging me tightly back. He sweeps some hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear, and that suggestive grin fills his face again.  
'That's not to say I wasn't tempted…' He smirks, and I gasp, mock slapping him.  
'How very dare you! 'I cry, in a parody of a posh Capitol accent, a smile beginning to form.  
'Oh but I do dare…' he rasps, before leaning in to kiss me again, this time more passionately, his arms gently lifting me as he moves towards the bed. We kiss heavily, rolling around, him pinning me to the bed with his weight, me occasionally gaining the upper hand and straddling him. He moans, and I get the sense that he wants…more. I remove my lips, and kiss down his neck, before returning to his mouth for one last snog. I don't think I'm ready to go any further, and I think he's realised that, as I climb off him, laying my head on his chest as he strokes my hair. He turns to the side, his front against my back, and he locks his arms around me, keeping me safe and warm.  
'Goodnight Clove' He says softly, his lips brushing my cheek, before wriggling to get comfy. I relax in his hold, and I snuggle down, my eyes closing.  
'Night, Cato…' I murmur back, the smile still on my face, as the world fades to black.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I just want to apologize for not updating this in a while, I've been really busy recently *slaps self on the hand for being such a lazy author* but again, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy it, and please review, I love hearing what you think about this story! xoxo**

My eyes slide open, and I'm relieved to feel Cato's huge arms still around my waist, keeping me warm and safe from the horrors that await us once we arrive in the arena. I shudder at the thought, and he stirs, causing me to still again, not wanting to disturb him from his much needed sleep. He looks so peaceful, a change from the arrogant mask he wears during his daylight hours. But as soon as we step foot in the arena, I know even that will change, and he will permanently be the brutal, vicious Cato I've known for so long. I sigh, and turn my thoughts to the day ahead. Today is our individual training sessions, the day to show the Gamemakers what we can do. I'm not worried about it, I know I'm impressive. And my skill is unexpected too, the Gamemakers will love that I'm so small yet so deadly…I'm basically guaranteed a high training score. Suddenly I feel Cato's lips on my neck, and realise he must of woken up whilst I was pondering the day's events. I roll over to see his face, and lean in to peck him on the mouth.

'Good morning handsome' I giggle, kissing him lightly on the nose.

'And to you, Princess' He whispers back, pulling me in for a quick snog.

Then he heaves himself off the bed, and cheekily winks at me before leaving for his room, to shower and change his clothes. I too pull myself out of bed, and stumble to the bathroom, enveloping myself in a whirl of lemony foam. Once I'm dry and dressed in my training uniform, I head to the dining room, where Cato, Enobaria, Brutus and Nimi are all seated, munching on the breakfast that has been laid out for us by the Avoxes. I help myself to a croissant, some strange orange scrambled eggs and juice, and lower myself onto a chair next to Enobaria, before digging into my meal. Enobaria clears her throat, and I know she is about to offer her advice on our training sessions.

'Okay. Obviously since you're from Two, you'll be sent in second, immediately after the male from 1. It's ladies first, so Clove, you'll be going in straight away, then Cato will follow once you've been dismissed. Clove, I suggest that you act all shy at first, but then shock them by whipping out your knives, which you obviously know how to use. That'll impress them, and they'll be so shocked at your deception that you'll be branded into their memories, no matter how many tributes they have to see today. Cato, they only have to look at you to know how dangerous you can be, so I don't recommend a particular strategy for you, just march in there and show them what you can do. Clear?'  
We both nod, and Brutus grunts in agreement at Enobaria's speech. Nimi is positively quivering with excitement, and is continually bursting out with little phrases of encouragement, like 'Oh, you'll definitely be getting a high score!' and 'Nothing to worry about at all, my sweets, you'll do fine!'. I grimace at her over-affectionate gushing, and can see Cato pulling the same face as me, causing me to giggle inwardly. Finally Nimi announces that it's time for us to make our way to the training centre, and we head to the elevator, pressing the button that will take us back to the ground floor. Nimi totters around, seeing that our uniform is neat and our hair is perfect, and moans about how we refused to let her escort us down to the centre. Eventually the lift doors slide shut, blocking her high pitched indignant squeals, and we begin our smooth journey to the bottom of the apartment block. The doors open with a hiss again, and we step out, marching over to the sign clearly marked 'Waiting Area', and taking our seats on the cold metal benches provided for us. Cato takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, and we sit in silence, waiting for my name to be called over the robotic speakers.

'You nervous?' He asks, examining my face for signs of faltering confidence.

'Not at all' I declare, matching his gaze evenly. Truthfully, I really am not apprehensive at all. Everyone knows that the Gamemakers give the Career tributes the highest scores, and I definitely have the skill to qualify as a Career. He shrugs, and with one final squeeze, lets go of my hand, just as the speaker calls my name.

'Clove. Lozier.' The metallic voice forms my name, and I stand, the door opening for me to enter the private training room.

'Good luck!' Cato calls.

'I won't be needing that' I toss back, sending him a kiss over my shoulder. He grins, and then his face disappears from my view as the doors swing shut again.

I turn towards the Gamemakers, who are all gathered in a huge carved out section of the wall, about five metres off the ground. Their eyes follow me as I shuffle over to the section in front of them, trying to keep up the 'nervous' act Enobaria suggested for me. I anxiously call out my name, my voice turning up at the end, making it seem like a question. They nod, the confusion clear on their faces at my non-Career like attitude, and I shamble on over to the weapons provided for me. My hands grasp one of the many knives reverently, and I slot it into the belt around my waist, along with the rest, leaving two to start my routine with. I check to see if I still have their attention, and I do, so I strut to the machine which programmes which course to set the dummies on. I select the same one I beat on the first day of training, and the whirring starts up again. I pick up the two remaining knives off the table, and await the first dummy. As it shoots towards me, I let the normal me go, and evolve into my alter ego, Clove the killer. I run and leap and roll all over the place, my knives slamming into one dummy's chest, another's head, another's neck. I keep up the pace, my feet easily repeating the steps I have done many a time before, and finally my last knife slices into the dummies neck. I stand still, panting for air, gathering myself before I turn to the Gamemakers, ready for their reaction. The shock on their faces makes me want to laugh, some are even slack jawed, lost for words at my display. Finally, Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker himself, begins to hesitantly clap, and the others soon join in, the quiet clap turning into appreciative applause. Seneca nods slightly, a small smile on his face, and I bow slightly sending a cheeky wink his way. His grin spreads wider, and he lets out a quiet laugh. I take this as my cue to leave, and I saunter over to the exit, basking in the knowledge that they were definitely impressed by me.

As the double doors close behind me, I faintly hear the robotic voice announce Cato's name, and glimpse him entering the training room. I know he's going to do well no matter what, so I stroll over to the elevator, pressing the button that will take me back to our floor. As soon as the doors open, I go straight to the living room, where Nimi is waiting anxiously, Enobaria and Brutus not so much. I recline on one of the luxurious couches as they grill me on how it went, until finally they are satisfied by my answers. Eventually Cato arrives, and they begin to interrogate him too. I hear snatches of the conversation, and gather that it did indeed go as well as everyone had expected. I'm not surprised, and wait for the others to leave before rushing over to give him a hug.

'I knew you'd nail it!' I squeal into his ear.

'Well from what I hear, you didn't do too badly yourself!' He replies, kissing my forehead gently. 'Now c'mon Princess, I need to shower, and you need your beauty sleep for the interview tomorrow.'

'Hey, you think I need beauty sleep? I'm beautiful enough already, thank you very much!' I cry, faking outrage at this offence.

'Sure, sure!' He teases, before leaning in to give me a long, lingering kiss on the lips. 'You know I think you're already beautiful' he whispers, centimetres from my face.

'I guess' I say, pouting, and he laughs, before gathering me up into his capable arms and depositing me in my room, blowing me a kiss as he walks out my door.

'Goodnight, Princess!' He calls as he closes it, and it's a few moments before I hear his door clicking shut too. I hop into the shower, this time selecting strawberry, then pull on some pyjamas, sliding into bed. My eyes close immediately, and it sinks in how exhausted I am from today, so I gently drift off into nothingness once more.


	10. Chapter 10

***Hello! I'm so, so sorry for not updating in ages, I'm so awful-.- but this is a very dramatic chapter, and I've been looking forward to describing Clove's interview look so much! I'm deviating from the book/film a little, but I think you'll enjoy it none-the-less. Here's the picture I got the idea for her eye makeup from, incase you weren't sure what I meant by 'swirly' Click Me! I hope that works! If not, just google 'swirly eye makeup' and you'll see! Thank you for reading!* *BTW, this chapter contains a scene of sexual abuse/almost rape, so not suitable for younger readers***

I awaken to the sound of Nimi bashing on my door once more, and groan, heaving myself out of bed. Then I realise. Today is interview day, the last day before the games begin, and my last chance to make an impression. My excellent training score already sets me off to a good start, now I just have to prove I have the personality and charisma to match. My ten in training was announced last night, after I went to bed, I heard Nimi, Brutus and Enobaria celebrating late, so I went to see what the fuss was about, and then they informed me of my score. I remember that my interview prep will begin in a bit, so I pull on some simple clothes, and exit my room, heading to the dining room. Cato is there ready and waiting, as well as our mentors and Nimi, and they explain the days agenda to me in detail. I'm going to spend the morning with Enobaria, figuring out how to present me in my interview, then a few hours of the afternoon with Nimi, working on my etiquette, and finally back to my stylists and Phoenix to prepare my look, ready for the interviews at 9.00pm. I scoff down a small breakfast, then Enobaria leads me to a small room.

'So Clove. How do you think you should be presented?' She asks abruptly, straight to the point.

I've been thinking about this all night, and know exactly what to say. 'Sweet, but deadly' I reply, a smirk on my face. Enobaria smiles back, obviously pleased with my answer.

'Perfect' She announces. 'Just go with whatever Caesar says, he knows what he's doing, but think about what you're saying, one slip up could lose you a lot of sponsors. And no matter what, do not mention that little romance you've got going on with Cato. Careers are NOT romantic, they're deadly.' She looks at me seriously, judging my reaction. I'm in shock, I can barely open my mouth.

'How...how did you know?' I choke out, staring at the floor.

'Please Clove, it's pretty obvious. We've known since Cato's reaction to you at the parade that he felt strongly for you, and you feel the same. But like I said, Careers aren't famous for their love stories; they're famous for their viciousness. So you can play out your little romance for now, but as soon as you enter the arena, it stops, okay? Your feelings will get you killed.'

My mouth feels dry, and I'm struggling to take in this revelation. They knew all along? My mind flies to Cato, and how he'll react to this news. 'Is Brutus telling Cato this? I rasp.

'Of course' She replies crisply. 'Now, lets continue with your preparation...'

The rest of our session flies by, me barely taking in a word Enobaria says. I'll do fine at the interviews, I know exactly how to present myself. But I'm worried about how Cato will take the news that we have to continue keeping our relationship a secret. He's not gonna like it...my thoughts are interrupted my Nimi battering on the door, coming to collect me for her etiquette lessons. Again, that rushes by, my mind still on Cato. Finally we are reunited for a brief meal before we're taken to our prep team and stylists, and I run to his side. He looks down at me, before scooping me into his big arms and hugging me tight.

'It's okay' he whispers in my ear. 'We can do this, keep a secret. It may not be what I wanted, but it's better than not having each other at all, right?'

I nuzzle into his neck, surprised by his reaction. I'd assumed he'd be a lot angrier, but I guess Brutus talked some sense into him. We eat in comfortable silence, and when we're finished, he kisses me on the cheek goodbye, then is taken off to his prep team, and I am led off to mine.

Leven, Melissa and Englesbee greet me once more, and I am swept back onto the familiar, cold, metal table. Melissa takes my hair once more, and sweeps it up into an elegant half-up, half-down style, loose waves framing my face. It's very striking, and perfectly accentuates the intricate eye makeup Englesbee has drawn on. My eyes are outlined in black, with long, swirly lines reaching from the outer corners, and little rhinestone gems sparkle in the soft light. My skin is flawless and radiant, and my lips have been carefully filled in with a shimmering, red-orange pigment. I lift my hands to examine my nails, and I smile when I see that Leven has worked her magic again. A shimmering paint is glowing on my nails, and it seem to fade from orange, to red, to pink, repeating over and over, mesmerising me. I look up to see their amused expressions, and the smile falls from my face.

'What are you laughing at?' I snap, and they look away, motioning for me to leave through the door that will lead me to Phoenix. I rise from the table, and stalk out, annoyed at their cheek. 'Stupid bimbos' I mutter, as I walk through the door to meet Phoenix. I slam the door behind me, and my stylist looks up at me, startled. But he then smiles, his eyes travelling over my slender body. I stand there uncomfortably as he rises, before he drags his eyes off me and walks over to a small compartment in the wall. He taps a touch screen panel, and the wall slides away, revealing a garment bag, presumably containing my interview dress. He slides the dress out of its bag, but keeps his back to me.

'Take off your robe, and close your eyes' He orders me, and I do so, covering my naked body self consciously as I hear his footsteps approach. I can sense his arms reaching for me, and I prepare myself to be slipped into my dress. But instead, Phoenix's arms encircle me, and pull me close, smashing his lips against mine. My eyes spring open in panic, and I desperately attempt to push him off me, but he's pushed me up against the wall now, and I can't move. I feel him groan as his hands travel lower, and I squirm, whimpering, unable to escape his strong arms. He pulls back from my mouth, and his eyes search my face, ravenous.

'Why aren't you responding?' He hisses, his eyes narrowing. 'Well!?'

I try and push him off me again, but he forces me back against the wall roughly, bashing my head against the cold metal.

'Respond!' He growls, taking my hand and placing it down there. I flinch it away, and he snarls again, grabbing my hair and forcing me to kiss him once more. He shoves his tongue between my lips, and roams around, trying to get me to kiss him back. But I keep my lips frozen in place, my arms desperately trying to break free of his grip, when suddenly he is pulled off of me. I crumple to the floor, my face to the wall, hysterical sobs erupting from my chest. I can hear Phoenix grunting in pain behind me, and I wonder who has come to my rescue. I roll over to identify my saviour, and my chest contracts a little when I see him. Cato. His fists are clenched as he stands over Phoenix's unconscious form, and I can tell that he's trembling. When he notices my eyes on him, he rushes over, scooping up my shaking body in his arms. He can tell I'm terrified, and I hear him calling for Enobaria and Nimi as I drift out of consciousness.

I awaken to Nimi's shrill voice, screeching at some medical assistant. I shake my head groggily, and look around. Cato is by my bedside, handsome in his silvery suit, and Enobaria is in a chair on the other side of the room.

'Where's Phoenix?' I whisper, frantically clutching for Cato's hand.

'Brutus and the Peacekeepers are escorting him to a cell as we speak.' He replies soothingly.

'But the interviews!' I cry, panicking, scared that I've lost my chance to impress the Capitol once and for all.

'Still another hour until we're needed, there's always a few warm up acts before the interviews, remember? He assures me, squeezing my hand. 'Do you feel up to getting into your dress now, love? He gently inquires. I nod, and he helps me get out of bed, and pulls my dress on over my head. I can see now that it's a beautiful soft orange shade, with ruffles at the bodice and a full skirt down to my knees. My prep team must of fixed my makeup whilst I was out, because I look as perfect as I did...before the incident. I guess everyone knows what happened, but is choosing not to bring it up...I decide then to forget about it. I can't afford to let anything distract me from now on, and this distraction could cost me the games if I don't focus. I slip on the matching silk heels, and Cato lends me his arm so I can steady myself. I give everyone in the room an unsteady smile, and I can see them visibly relax. We begin the process of getting me and Cato to the interview building, and all the way there I hold tight to Cato, tucking myself under his big arms in the car, never once letting go of his hand until we arrive at out destination, where I finally have to let go. We're escorted to our own private waiting room, which contains a screen so we can watch the other interviews in private. I collapse on the plush sofa, kicking off my heels so I can sit comfortably whilst I wait my turn. Cato sits beside me, his arm around my shoulders, my head on his chest. We watch for a while as Glimmer is interviewed, and I smirk at her sheer gold dress. I guess sexy was the only thing they could do with her, seeing as she has no personality or intelligence to speak of. But when Marvel begins his interview, Cato and I are called backstage, and Nimi fusses around us, her hands grooming and smoothing our hair, adjusting any tiny imperfections in our outfits. Finally Marvel exits the stage, and I hear Caesar introducing me.

'And now, from District 2, a very talented girl with a training score to match, I am proud to present to you, Clove Lozier!'

And with a final squeeze of Cato's hand, I'm shoved onto stage, where I am greeted by blinding lights, and the deafening roar of the crowd. I find my way to my seat, and the interview begins.


	11. AN

Hi Guys :3

I'm so, so sorry I haven't updated this in so long! I while ago I wrote up the entire chapter for Clove's interview, which I was _really, really _pleased with, it was one of my favourite chapters I'd written so far...however, I forgot to save and close it before going and doing something else, and when I came back to publish the chapter, my little brother was sitting in front of the computer on Minecraft. He'd only gone and exited Microsoft, losing my work in the process. Since then I haven't really been inspired to keep writing, as any attempt I made at re-writing the original chapter just didn't match up to how good I remembered the old one to be. I'm so annoyed at myself for not saving it now -.- But yeah, I'll hopefully continue the story at some point, keep checking up on it!

I'm considering starting another fanfic as well, not sure which fandom to do though! I'm considering doing a Dramione one, and I've also just started getting into Game of Thrones, so maybe there'll be one with some characters from that in the future?

Anyway, thank you for continuing to read and review this fic, it means a lot! I'll try and get another chapter up soon :3

Taa guys! :) 3


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